Demons
by epenetus
Summary: The Vatican requests help from the team.


Dancing silhouettes grace the walls of a dimly lit room, a ceiling lamp sways, and an old priest and a doctor tend to a young woman whilst a young priest prays. And suddenly it becomes apparent to all that this cannot end well.  
'Our father who art in heaven…' the young priest begins once more but the woman only laughs.  
'Has abandoned you,' a voice within the woman says. Her face and neck contorts, her neck snaps and everything is still.  
'I don't, I don't know what to do…' the old priest laments.  
'I know somebody that can help us,' says the young priest.

In a lecture hall an unassuming man speaks to his students and to two men in cassocks in the back row.  
'Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by visual and auditory hallucinations…'  
'Like seeing ghosts?', yells a student.  
'Indeed, like seeing ghosts. I know, I know, yeah some people.' The professor addresses the empty space next to him and the class erupts in laughter. 'Alright let's call it a day.' The students file out of the room. One of the cassocked men approaches the professor.  
'Uncle Peter', and the professor's head rises, he smiles, and the two men embrace.  
'I miss you kid, how's the new job?'  
'It's good, I was stationed in Rome for a bit, which was cool.'  
'But now you're here, what's up? Everything ok?'  
'I'm fine, but I need to talk to you about something, it's important. Uncle Peter this is Father Francis.'  
'Dr. Venkman, Father Oscar and I are here because the church needs your help with exorcism.'  
'Sure sure,' Dr. Venkman mocks the priest's serious tone.  
'I'll be frank, we need you to build it again.'  
'Build what exactly?'  
'The containment device, the trap.' And Dr. Venkman exasperatedly looks at Oscar before turning to address the old priest.  
'No problem, I'm going to need some wood, steel, a spring, and a piece of cheese.'  
'This is a very serious matter Dr. Venkman.'  
'It always is but the answer's no.' And the professor turns to kiss Oscar on the cheek.  
'Visit me as soon as you can kiddo.'

A dark hunched figure works furiously at a desk in a dimly lit bookstore. A bell sounds, a door opens, and a man enters and looks around at the ruins. Loud static noise emanates from a radio, newspaper clippings and sketches cover the far wall and the hunched figure at the desk continues to work.  
'I love what you've done with the place.' But the spectre continues working silently. Peter places his hand on its shoulder at which the hunched figure recoils.  
'Sorry. What are you working on?' A blank expression rests on the hunched man's face.  
'Ray, it's me, it's Peter,' The man nods and returns to work.  
'How are you doing?'  
'I'm fine, I'm good,' Ray responds but does not look at his friend.  
'That's good,' Peter's face and voice betray his concern. 'Sorry I haven't come by in awhile, I tried to call but your phone is disconnected.' Peter goes to adjust the radio but Ray pushes him away.  
'E.V.P,' Ray says.  
'Electronic voice phenomenon, right, sorry. So guess who visited me today? Oscar, well Father Oscar now. He looks good, all grown up. I should have him come here and bless this place look at this man you need a good-looking maid to come pick this place up. Anyway, lets go get something to eat.'  
'No.'  
'Oh come on, you gotta get out sometime, god knows nobody comes in here right.'  
'Spengler should be here soon.' And with this Peter's concerned look turns to one of heartbreak.  
'Ray, Egan's dead, you know this.'  
'Oh yeah yeah I know, sorry.'  
'Come on get up, you're buying.' Ray continues working silently. Peter's eyes swell with tears. 'So… I might have a job for us. Oscar has been training under this exorcist, a Father Francis, and they need our help.' At this Ray turns his head and looks at his friend.  
'So get up, we have work to do.'

A man in an expensive suit looks up from his desk as his office door bursts open.  
'Damn Winston, you are a hard man to get an audience with.' says Peter.  
'I'm sorry sir I couldn't stop him.'  
'Not many people can.' Peter winks at the secretary.  
'It's alright, this is Peter Venkman. I have to call you back.' Winston hangs up his phone as the secretary leaves. The two men hug and seem genuinely pleased to see eachother.  
'You want a drink?' Peter looks at the bar in the corner for a moment.  
'No I'm good. Look at you, such a big shot now.'  
'Nah I'm just running your company, you started it.'  
'Come on, Ghostbusters Inc. is a success because of you and in spite of me, believe me I know that.'  
'It's good to see you, how are things?'  
'I'm fine but there is something important I need to ask, because Ray isn't fine, at all.' And Winston's demeanor abruptly changes. 'He blames himself for what happenened−'  
'Good.'  
'Look, he's not doing well, he needs our help.'  
'He'll be fine.' Winston returns to work at his desk, no longer acknowledging Peter.  
'Ok, you're too busy, I get it. Running Ghostbusters Inc. is a big job.' Peter gets up to leave but addresses Winston as he reaches for the door. 'Ray's the one that hired you in the first place. Just in case you forgot.'

Dr. Venkman sits silently in his office and then reaches for the phone. He picks up the receiver and dials.  
'We're in.'

Busy new yorkers shuffle along the street, car horns sound, and through the window of a church four men can be seen seated around a table.  
'Exorcism is the practice of extricating a person's soul from the clutches of a demon,' says the old priest but his words appear to fall on deaf ears, nevertheless, he continues. 'The catholic rite involves prayer and religious totems. The demon is made to speak its name, its true name, given to it by God. This forces the demon to acknowledge the power and infallibility of God and that it is going against that power by possessing the victim and this purges the victim of its presence. Over the past year, however, we have failed in this endeavor. The demons can be made to leave the body for a moment, but only a moment. It returns and continues to torture the victim before killing them.' Ray scribbles furiously. Peter watches Ray, Oscar watches Peter, and the old priest continues.  
'Dr. Venkman, we need your help to contain an entity after it is drawn out of the victim. Can you help us? Dr. Venkman?'  
'I can't help you I'm sorry.' Peter gets up to leave but Ray suddenly speaks.  
'The original design was never intended to be used so close to a person, it will kill somebody if they get too close, the original design is useless, we'd have to make something new, with a new power source, but it's possible.' Peter smiles.  
'And we're going to need some more information to do this,' Peter says.  
'Anything you require doctor.'

Peter and Ray go over blueprints back at Ray's Occult. The two men slowly construct the device.

Peter picks up the telephone and dials.  
'Hey kid, it's done, come to Ray's and we'll show you everything.'

Oscar and his mentor arrive. Ray and Peter deploy the machine and it whirs to life operating perfectly.  
'And this will trap any spirit we encounter?' asks the old priest.  
'Absolutely. How soon are you going to use it?' asks Peter.  
'Soon, unfortunately. And we're going to need you there.'  
'Ray and I agreed to build this for you, that's it.'  
'Uncle Peter please, just once, we need you.'  
'Alright.'  
'It will be soon, thank you again,' and the old priest exits.  
'Thanks again Uncle Peter, thanks Ray.' Oscar exits.

Ray and Peter sit in the bookstore. Ray moves to his desk, turns on the radio and begins scribbling furiously.  
'Ray the static is killing me, can we save the e.v.p. study for later? I'm hungry. Let's go get something to eat, celebrate,' says Peter. Ray continues scribbling. 'Ray come on, lets go.' Peter touches Ray's shoulder but his friend recoils.

Peter and Oscar meet in front of an apartment building.  
'Thanks for coming Uncle Peter. Father Francis is up there already.' Peter and Oscar ascend the staircase to the apartment. Oscar escorts Peter to the bedroom where they find Father Francis, a medical doctor, and a young woman breathing heavily.  
'Thanks for coming Dr. Venkman. If you could help us set up the device please.' Peter opens the case and calibrates the machine.  
'Just hit the red button at the appropriate time. If you don't mind I'm going to wait outside'  
'Of course.' Peter retreats to the kitchen and waits.  
'Uncle Peter help.' A frantic Oscar hurries the machine to the kitchen. 'It's not working it just shut off. Fix it we need you to fix it.'  
'I need Ray to fix this.'  
'Hurry.'

Peter returns to the bookstore to find Ray at his desk scribbling furiously.  
'Ray it broke, I need you to fix it I don't know how.' Ray walks over to Peter and takes the case. The two men work on it. Oscar arrives.  
'Hey it's ready, Ray fixed it,' says Peter.  
'Great.' Oscar looks at the floor.  
'What's wrong?'  
'She's dead. Not long after you left, we just couldn't contain it.'  
'Sorry.'  
'Me too. And I think we're gonna need this again, soon. It's ready?'  
'Yes, and you need us there right?'  
'I'd like you both there, in case something happens and it needs to be fixed, yeah.'  
'Hear that Ray?' Peter turns to Ray and Ray nods.

Peter and Ray sit in the living room of an apartment. Cries of terror creep out from under the doorway of a room down the hall.  
'Uncle Peter quick.' Oscar cries out.  
'Come on Ray. Ray we have to go now.' Peter pleads with Ray as Oscar emerges from a door in the hallway.  
'Uncle Peter it just shut off hurry. Can you fix it?'  
'No. I need Ray to fix it. Get up Ray, now.' Ray scribbles in his notebook.  
'Uncle Peter please we can't hold it.'  
'Ray get up.'  
'Uncle Peter please.'  
'I can't. Ray has to. Get up.' Peter pulls Ray to his feet.  
'Hurry, she's dying.' Oscar pleads with the two men.  
'Stop this Ray, snap out of this now, right now, you may hate yourself, but I love you, and we need you now, right now.' The screaming stops and everything is still.

Dr. Venkman sits in his office and the phone rings.  
'It's over Uncle Peter, the church no longer sanctions your involvement. I'm sorry Uncle Pete, but I mean two girls dead and we're not any closer to a solution. I'll come see you before I have to leave.'

Peter arrives at the bookstore and looks around at the ruins. Ray is nowhere to be seen. Water runs down the stairs. Peter stares at this for a moment before rushing up the stairs and into the bathroom. Blood red water fills the tub containing Ray's lifeless body. Peter runs to his friend and pulls him from the tub.  
'Ray? Ray wake up come on.' Ray slowly opens his eyes.  
'I'm sorry about Egan.'  
'I know…see you on the other side pal.' Peter begins to cry.

Oscar arrives at the bookstore.  
'I thought I'd find you here, you weren't at the funeral. I can't believe this happened, I'm really sorry Uncle Peter.'  
'Me too.'  
'It's too bad this didn't work.' Peter walks over to the case, quickly adjusts something without breaking stride and the machine whirs to life.  
'Take it with you, goodbye kid.'

Peter sits at Ray's desk, wearily looking at the papers on the wall. He gets up and walks to the door. He reaches for the handle and a television in the back of the store turns on. Peter's hand remains on the handle but he is motionless. The television's static noise grows louder and almost sounds like a human voice. Peter closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He leaves the bookstore and disappears into the failing light.


End file.
